Things to do near
Highlands Meander
*Distances are shown as the crow flies and not necessarily the actual travelling
distance.
Waterfall
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Waterval Boven (45.3 km from Highlands Meander) The Elands River Falls is one of the highest waterfalls in Mpumalanga and is situated at one of South Africa's top rock climbing destinations.
With a unique split and a plummet of 70 m, Elands River Falls is just as dramatic and scenic as South Africa's highest waterfall, the 90 m Lisbon Falls.
Access to the observation platform is through the old ZAZM tunnel built in the late 1800s for the rail track between the towns Waterval Onder and Waterval Boven (meaning 'above the waterfall'), now named Emgwenya (Zulu for 'place of the crocodile').
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Popular Attractions
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Sudwala Valley (61.8 km from Highlands Meander) The Sudwala Caves are an incredibly deep system of caverns lying in the Mpumalanga region of the Drakensberg escarpment. Considered the oldest known caves in the world, this astonishing unplumbed complex of passages and giant chambers extend into the mysterious Mankelexele massif.
The caves are situated in the Precambrian dolomite rocks of the Malmani Group, formed over a period of some 3 000 million years, capturing in stone an era when this place was a shallow inland sea.
The very earliest known life forms are preserved in fossil form in these rocks. In the cave are fossils of the first oxygen producing plants on the earth called collenia – fossilised bacterial colonies that date back 2.2 billion years! And there's a Dinosaur Park too. Kids will love the life-size monsters guarding the cave entrance.
Keen for adventure? Time your visit on the last Saturday of the month and join one of the popular Crystal Tours inside the deeper chambers. You will be required to crawl through some sections be prepared to get wet. It lasts for six hours and bookings are essential.
+27 (0) 13 733 4152
www.sudwalacaves.co.za
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Hiking Trail
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Machadodorp (62.7 km from Highlands Meander) The spectacular Num-Num Hiking Trail offers seasoned hikers a self-guided three to five day hiking trail in Mpumalanga. The route takes walkers through a spectacular variety of Highveld Escarpment terrain including indigenous forest, sandstone labyrinths, grasslands and waterfalls. The scenic route delivers panoramic views of the Komati Gorge and the Skurweberg stretching all the way to Swaziland. There are plenty of opportunities to spot game and birds.
Five comfy and unique overnight camps provide equipped kitchens and hot showers. A slackpacking service is available – organizers transport your luggage to the camp so that you only need to walk with your daypack.
The climate is suitable all year around. Winter months are cold in the evenings but glorious and dry during the day. The summer months are warmer but there is a high chance of rain in the afternoons. Public holidays are popular so it is advisable to book well in advance.
Hikers need to be reasonably fit and agile; the trail is rated by Green Flag as moderate to difficult. Footpaths take visitors through landscapes that cannot be accessed by vehicles. Be prepared for plenty of swing bridges and ladders, steep hills and descents into stunning gorges. There are also sandstone formations that you clamber through and over.
View three Num-Num Hiking Trail camps:
Pongola Express
Candlewood Camp
Aloe Kaya
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Sports Stadiums Clubs
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Nelspruit (77.5 km from Highlands Meander) Alkmaar Raceway is a world class Motocross venue hosting national and international events. The 2008 World Motocross Grand Prix took place here.
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Popular Attractions
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Blyde River Canyon (86.8 km from Highlands Meander) This is the spot where everyone takes their shots. Serious shutterbugs will be reaching for their polarising filters and best wide angle lens. Choose a clear day and you can see all the way to the Kruger National Park and Mozambique. Glance towards the east and you’ll see the Three Sisters, also known as the Three Rondawels. Just two kilometres north is Wonder View, the highest viewpoint in the region.Spend some time here and soak up the spectacular panoramic Lowveld landscape from God's Window in the lush Blyde River Canyon. The largest vegetated canyon in the world, Blyde is third in size only to the Grand Canyon and the Fish River Canyon.This beautifully green paradise has numerous plant and animal species and is a major core of endemism. And it's also the place where Africa split from Madagascar and Antarctica during the break-up of the Gondwanaland millions of years ago.
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Sports Stadiums Clubs
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Nelspruit (88.8 km from Highlands Meander) The Mbombela Stadium is one of the new stadiums constructed for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
The elevated stadium can comfortably seat 40,000 people and has excellent views from all positions. Situated eight kilometres north of Nelspruit, it is the closest venue to the hugely popular Kruger National Park.
The bustling boom town of Nelspruit is the gateway to Kruger National Park. This busy commercial centre has excellent facilities, shopping malls and air links with Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban and Maputo.
Nelspruit is also a major stopover for motorists travelling on the N4 en route to Kruger National Park, Swaziland and Mozambique. It is situated really close to Malelane Gate and Crocodile Bridge Gate, entrances to the Kruger National Park.
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Golf Courses
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White River (97.2 km from Highlands Meander) White River Country Estate is a scenic golf course situated on the outskirts of White River and not far from Kruger National Park. The 18-hole course offers a good mental and physical challenge for golfers of all skill levels.
With Gary Player behind the design of the course, White River Country Estate is considered a world-class facility. The estate also offers a swimming pool, tennis courts, squash courts, and plenty of entertainment for the whole family.
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Shopping Malls
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White River (97.8 km from Highlands Meander) Casterbridge Lifestyle Centre is perfect for the whole family to enjoy a day out. The variety of shops range from galleries housing African art to boutique clothing stores. Entertainment is on offer at The Barnyard Theatre, cinema and live music at Magnolia Restaurant & Cocktail Lounge.
Opening hours:
Monday to Saturday 09:00 - 16:30
Sunday 09:00 - 16:00
www.casterbridge.co.za
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Popular Attractions
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Blyde River Canyon (99.2 km from Highlands Meander) The impressive rock features of Bourke’s Luck Potholes marks the start of the extraordinarily scenic Blyde River Canyon and is one of the tick-offs on the well-beaten path of the Panorama Route.The giant potholes have been carved over centuries by pebbles swirling around in poolswhere the Treur River plunges into the Blyde River. Bourke’s Luck had nothing to do with the potholes but rather a lucky strike in this gold-rich area.Not far off is the main tourist viewpoint, God’s Window. Graskop is the closest town to the canyon if you are planning to stop over and spend quality time rather than grabbing fleeting glimpses through a tour bus window of this stunning region.
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